Homesickness, the distress or anxiety caused by being separated from home, affects most people over the course of a lifetime. Homesickness can be caused by a wide variety of situations. Sleepovers, school trips and nights away from the family can trigger a bout of loneliness and dejection. Moving away from home to attend university or for work can lead to prolonged feelings of homesickness. It can also be triggered by enjoyable events, such as holidays or trips away, or by intense and distressing events and is a common side effect of a divorce or a death in the family. In these contexts, the term ‘home’ does not have to be literal.
     I think it is one of the inevitable problems in our lives. Students like me who are going overseas to study their Bachelor, Masters or PhD’s mostly encounter it. Stemming from statistics, people who feel homesick are mostly youngsters at the age of 17 to 30. Almost 70% of first year college students report they feel homesick. Most of the times people say that it is not a big problem and think that it is just state of feeling which everybody can overcome in a short period. However, there are some serious consequences of it. For example, it can have an impact on our bodies causing headaches or stomachaches. Those with homesickness may have difficulty sleeping. It is even possible to suffer from dizziness or nausea.
     Stemming from my own experience, I can share some solutions that can combat homesickness. First, talk about how you feel. In my case talking with friends who have experienced homesickness like me and getting support from them. Alternatively, you can talk with your family members even though they are far away from you. They may be able to advise you and help you to come to terms with your feelings. Second, one of the important things we have to do is take care of ourselves physically. Make sure that you are supporting your body by eating, drinking and sleeping. Because when our body is feeling physically drained it can make you feel much worse. Third, be realistic. It is normal to experience feelings of homesickness. Make sure that you do not put too much pressure on yourself.
     Homesickness is a common feeling that most people will experience. While it can be overwhelming, you can do many things to help minimize the effects and in most cases, it will begin to subside on its own given time.
 

By Nozima Yuldasheva, Sophomore, Faculty of Economics